RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Joseph Parker traveled to Saudi Arabia aiming to seize the IBF heavyweight championship from Daniel Dubois. However, the situation changed when Dubois had to withdraw from the scheduled fight due to illness. This unexpected turn of events pushed Parker to shift his focus to Congolese boxer Martin Bakole, who stepped in as a last-minute replacement for the match.
Bakole was unable to attend the weigh-in on Friday since he was en route to Riyadh from Kinshasa, Congo. Parker officially tipped the scales at 267 pounds (121 kilograms) and expressed his concern for Dubois, stating, “To Daniel Dubois, I hope he gets better soon.” He went on to thank Bakole for accepting the fight on such short notice, adding, “I’m looking forward to being in a ring with him tomorrow and going to work.”
The weighed-in session took on a lighter tone when Dubois’ promoter, Frank Warren, filled the void left by his fighter’s absence and even playfully jabbed at Parker’s midsection. Warren emphasized the financial implications for Dubois stating that he would face “a massive loss” due to the investments made for the training camp and the missed chance at a significant payday.
On social media, Bakole documented his travel journey on Friday, sharing his flights from Kinshasa to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He noted, “One more flight,” indicating that he was close to landing in the Saudi capital well past midnight local time. Showing confidence, Bakole sent a video message, saying, “I can’t wait. I think I will shock the world tomorrow. A boxer is like a soldier; anytime they ask you to go to war, always be ready.”
While the bout may not directly determine a world title, the victor between Parker and Bakole would be poised to challenge Oleksandr Usyk for the WBO title, as the organization has named the winner as the mandatory challenger for the championship. Parker entered the ring with a record of 35 wins (23 by knockout) and 3 losses, previously holding the WBO title after defeating Andy Ruiz in December 2016, which he later lost to Anthony Joshua 15 months afterward.
On the other hand, Bakole, with a record of 21 wins (16 by knockout) and 1 loss, weighed in at over 280 pounds (127 kilograms) during his last fight, where he won against Jared Anderson by stoppage in the fifth round last August in Los Angeles. Dubois had envisioned a victory that would set him up for a bout against Usyk later in the year, having initially captured the IBF belt three months prior when Usyk vacated it.
The main event for the night features a highly anticipated rematch between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol. Beterbiev previously became the undisputed light-heavyweight champion following a closely contested points decision victory over Bivol last October.
